The stunning Simone Byrd, Conor (3.5), and Luca (3.5 months).
Simone and her husband were married on 11/11/11 and in March they learned they were expecting. Neither of them wanted biological children, but no one told her that her bi-polar medication would make her birth control less effective. Never the less, pregnancy went very smooth and she delivered two days after her due date. Simone says that she did not have the birth that she wanted, but did have the baby she hoped for.
Conor was considered small for gestational age (SGA) and had to have his blood sugar checked frequently. The nurse threatened to take him to the NICU if she didn't supplement with formula. Simone was devastated as she wanted to exclusively breastfeed. Conor was okay and they were able to leave the hospital two days later. Simone was able to nurse Conor with supplementation for three months before she lost her milk supply.
Conor was and is such a kind spirit, Simone knew by the time he was a year old she wanted another child. Her husband was on board after Conor's second birthday. They tried for nearly a year before seeking out a fertility doctor and after a few tests learned she had a blocked fallopian tube. After a procedure to unblock a tube they successfully conceived Luca in July 2015. Simone had hoped for a girl and when they found out they were expecting another boy, dealt with some gender disappointment and sadness.
Everything was going well with pregnancy until Simone started itching at 20 weeks. The itching was so severe she felt like she had mosquito bites all over her body she couldn't reach. At 24 weeks she mentioned the issue to her doctor who told her it was a normal side effect of pregnancy. Unable to sleep, she researched and pressed and at 27 weeks, further testing revealed she had cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Due to the dramatic increase in the risk of stillbirth, Luca had to arrive no later than 38 weeks. Simone was induced at 37 weeks and Luca arrived the following day. While Simone didn't get her wish of laboring at home with Luca, she did get to labor in the shower and labor tub at the hospital and delivered in a seated position. Luca has been breastfed exclusively and everything is going well.
Simone has struggled with an eating disorder since she was 15 and says that although she is no where near the weight she wants to be, she is proud that she has her beautiful children. She was recently diagnosed with a long battle of Lyme disease, and will soon be working out a treatment plan. This has prompted her to devote as much of herself to her family as possible. "My time, my presence, my love, my words. It's going to be a long road with this disease, but we're ready for war. I never pictured myself to be married with children before 30, but I can't imagine my life another way. My children saved my life."